Poisoned Blade Review

468 pages

Jessamy is moving up the ranks of the Fives—the complex athletic contest favored by the lowliest Commoners and the loftiest Patrons in her embattled kingdom. Pitted against far more formidable adversaries, success is Jes's only option, as her prize money is essential to keeping her hidden family alive. She leaps at the chance to tour the countryside and face more competitors, but then a fatal attack on Jes's traveling party puts her at the center of the war that Lord Kalliarkos—the prince she still loves—is fighting against their country's enemies. With a sinister overlord watching her every move and Kal's life on the line, Jes must now become more than a Fives champion...She must become a warrior.

Review: 
I enjoyed reading the second novel in this series although I have to admit it left me wanting a bit more. Jessamy is dealing with the aftermath of her leap up the Fives rank and discovers that it isn't all rewarding as she thought it would be. Jes has to deal with the fact that she betrayed Kal and also has to continue hiding her mother and sisters from Gargaron who believes them dead at his order. The romance between Kal and Jes isn't a major focus for the majority of the novel, but we get to see some interesting progress towards the end. Gargaron's plan to take over the empire puts Jes right in the middle with no choice but to continue helping him. Navigating through all of the court intrigues is especially hard for Jes since she is neither Efean or Patron so she has no real status or trust for either side. I enjoyed seeing the growth in Jes although I wished she was more decisive and bold in the things she does. This book has a fair amount of action and by the end I couldn't wait to see what the next entry into this series will hold. I would recommend this book to those who like fantasy novels but definitely make sure to pick up Court of Fives before reading this one.